Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce welcomed in the new year of 2019 with an “Eggs and Issues” breakfast in Blacksburg yesterday.
The topic of this monthly information session was the “State of Montgomery County” as reported from county Board of Supervisors Chairman Chris Tuck.
Tuck welcomed the sold-out crowd of current and prospective chamber members at the Hilton Garden Inn providing an overview of the bright spots and challenges in Montgomery County.
Tuck said, “I am thankful that Montgomery County has challenges that other communities hope to have.”
Tuck is a practicing lawyer who added, “My perspective is one of seven different stories that could be provided by each member of the board of supervisors.”
Each county district has approximately 14,000 citizens. While most board matters have votes of 7-0, 6-1 and 5-2, a split board of four Republicans and three Democrats is not a bad thing according to Tuck.
The geography of the county is very different as are its values and thoughts. Many ideas can come from different folks and can be implemented for the whole county.
Tuck said, “It is okay to disagree, but not to be disagreeable.”
Tuck explained how 70 percent of the Montgomery County budget is spent on education and said he is proud that Montgomery County outspends neighboring counties on a per-student basis.
Citizens must understand that the county board assigns federal, state and county money to the Montgomery County Public School board for use in its budget. Tuck was happy the MCPS board was able to give teachers a 1.5% raise and realigned teachers to their correct pay step.
Tuck said, “46 percent of MCPS teachers were on the wrong step. This is exciting to get teachers living wages.”
The Access to Community College Education or ACCE Program is another high point of the money given to education. ACCE is an economic development investment of public and private funding that makes community college free.
MCPS high school students with good grades and a custom of contributing their time to community service can receive free tuition.
While Tuck believes “nothing is for free” and worried how the county could afford this program, Tuck saw the benefits to local citizens and businesses.
He was happy to see that the towns of Christiansburg and Blacksburg joined in the funding of ACCE.
Regardless of income, these students are giving back to the community by volunteering, for example at the county fire and rescue departments. To keep the ACCE program continuing, more fundraising will be needed.
MCPS Board Chair Gunin Kiran announced to the audience efforts to offer a 5K race in April, staffed by ACCE students, held to raise funds for the program.
Tuck said, “I want to thank Chief Anthony Wilson, of the Blacksburg Police Department, for his willingness to serve these two years on this initiative.”
The other 30 percent of the county budget covers the expenses of fire, rescue, law enforcement, animal control, social services and other government functions.
Tuck praised the volunteers of county fire and rescue departments. They are answering approximately 13,000 calls per year.
If Montgomery County had to go to all-paid fire and rescue staffing, it would require a 17 cent, or 20 percent, increase in real estate taxes.
Tuck encourages more citizens to realize that these first responder services are volunteer-based. County citizens and businesses need to recognize these volunteers and encourage more volunteerism in these services.
Tuck observed, “Once a volunteer system collapses, it will never come back.”
Tuck was glad that the Falling Branch Elementary School remodeling has been completed.
Tuck said, “Christiansburg schools are busting at the seams.”
After the Blacksburg High School roof collapse, the county had to protect the future and its bond rating. A bond rating is like a credit score determining how much a county can borrow and at what rate. When forming a budget, a long-term perspective, as well as possible economic downturns, must be considered, especially for future supervisor boards.
Regarding school resource officers, Tuck acknowledged no surprise that Sheriff Hank Partin requested funding for SROs for every elementary school in the county. This was a good example of the need for Tuck’s job to be the gatekeeper of the county funds. Tuck affirmed it is okay to disagree even within your own political party. Tuck began to ask questions to determine the need for SROs. Tuck even had conversations with the town governments regarding usage and funding of SROs.
Tuck believed the risks are low. Unless there is a security guard at every school door, there is risk. There was a compromise and county funding was found to float SROs between elementary schools. The board of supervisors is researching ways to use retired officers as SROs in the future.
Tuck said, “We cannot use fear to drive an agenda.”
Reassessments of real estate values have been completed. In April after appeals have been concluded, the supervisors will need to have a hard look at the next county budget. Current reassessments could generate $5.6 million more in revenue. Real estate taxes are the main revenue for the county. Citizens need to be made aware that meal and lodging taxes within the town limits are not shared with the county. Virginia state law does not allow the county to tax cigarettes and alcohol. The county needs to encourage businesses to open outside the town limits to generate more sales and real estate taxes.
Tuck is relinquishing his chair position at the next Board of Supervisors meeting. Tuck reflected on the number of documents, meetings, liaisons and breakfasts during a year while holding this position. After being first elected in 2012, Tuck did not predict the huge amount controversy and time taken up in meetings regarding the Mountain Valley Pipeline or the difficulty in some rezoning issues.
Tuck noted the County Treasurer Richard Shelton is not seeking reelection this year. Furthermore, the county has not had a tax sale in eleven years to help reclaim $3.8 million in unpaid taxes. With $55 million average deposit balance in county funds, there is a need to examine the interest rates. Tuck asked bankers in the audience to calculate the amount of money that could be earned on just a half percent more interest, noting that the interest alone could fund several more teachers in our schools.
Tuck supported the Chamber of Commerce announcement to begin efforts to start a “shop local” program. Tuck explained if Virginia does legislate sales tax on internet purchases, the collected taxes will go into the Commonwealth’s treasury, not to localities. In late January, Supervisors plan to travel to Richmond during the current legislative session to meet with state delegates and senators to discuss this and other funding issues.
Tuck said, “There are powerful forces at the state level. We need to get more money to our localities. We also need to get broadband.”
Tuck expressed the need for chamber members and county citizens to keep elected officials in check and to stay up to date; he strongly encouraged audience members to read local news, which condenses county board meetings.
Quoting the Washington Post slogan, Tuck said, “Democracy dies in the darkness.”
